I seem to remember an extremely large formation in the mid 70s. All bar 1 aircraft was at home, (that one u/s in Townsville, I think). The drop was in near Kiel, I think. You could not hear yourself think when they all started up and do power checks together.
176 was the only one not to make it. With all of them gone you could shout to the line to get spares, it was that quiet.
Didn't the aircraft fly a little too close to each other during the drop?